


CinderRon

by BessTheKraken



Category: Cinderella - All Media Types, Harry Potter - J. K. Rowling
Genre: F/M, Fluff
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2005-12-10
Updated: 2005-12-10
Packaged: 2018-02-08 19:36:11
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 10
Words: 5,855
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/1953564
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/BessTheKraken/pseuds/BessTheKraken
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>Ron's life as a Cinderella of sorts while still in school.</p>
            </blockquote>





	1. Chapter One

**Author's Note:**

> This is very non-canon. Also, I wrote it a million years ago, so I don't remember much about it. But I hope you enjoy!

'I hate spiders." Ron thought for the thousandth time as he scrubbed the Small's kitchen floor. One scurried across the tiles in front of him. He shuddered, and smashed it. To help play for school supplies, Ron Weasley had taken a position working for Dr. and Mrs Small. The head Healer at St. Mungo's and his muggle lawyer wife were often too busy to care for their mansion, so Ron flooed there every day in the summer and on weekends during the school year to care for it.

Though his employers weren't cruel taskmasters, they were strict. Everything had to be precisely in place and properly ordered. Dust, which had so accumulated before his arrival, was a forbidden thing. With four full floors of magical items and three Crups, it was hard work. Still, the knowledge that he was helping his parents as well as getting stronger from the heavier tasks kept him at it. Today was Saturday, a week into the second term of his sixth year. Ron had made his excuses to Harry and Hermione, then flooed to the Small mansion in Hogsmeade. Dr. Small had set him to the task of cleaning the kitchen. This included the counters, table, sink, dishes, floor, and a cauldron that Dr. Small often used for experiemental treatment production- a dangerous and mess activity. It had apparently resulted in an explosion that coated the kitchen in a nasty mess. By three in the afternoon, however, Ron had finished the room, excepting the cauldron and floor, this explaining how he ended up on his hands and knees with the spider. 'Ugh... that is so gross,' he thought, wrinkling his nose before cleaking up the spider shaped stain. 'Stupid underage magic laws. If I could use magic, this place would be clean in no time.' One last swipe of the sponge and the floor was clean. He stood up just in time to watch one of the Crups- Chucky- come barrelling through with muddy paws. "AAUGH! Stupid animal!" Ron roared.Grabbing it by the collar, he hauled it out of the room. "Why do you creatures insist on tormenting me?" Still muttering, Ron locked the pets in their pen, then went back to survey the damage. The preciously glistening floor had a trail of brown paw-and-skid-marks through its center. Groaning, Ron sank to his knees and started cleaning the mess.

By four it was finished again, and he was dragging the large, potion crusted cauldron outside. After pulling it out to the back yard, he carefully sprayed it down both inside and out, with Magical Nullifier. The few minutes it needed to sit, he used to pull weeds from the non-magical plants garden.. When he began to rinse it out, several sparks shot up from residue that hadn't been completely nullified. "Whoa!" One landed on his arm as he jumped back. He quickly hosed down the burning spark, and sprayed more nullifier into the pot. Washing the cauldron took less than an hour, so he left it to dry and pulled more weeds. At five 'o' clock, Mrs. Small came home. Ron was carrying the cauldron back to the kitchen when he heard the loud 'pop' that signified Dr. Small's return. He set down his burden with a muffled thump, and his employer walked into the room. Dr. Small surveyed the room critically, then announced, "Excellent job, Ronald. Tomorrow will be laundry." "Yes sir. I'll be here at seven." Ron flooed back to the castle tired, dirty, and sweaty.


	2. Chapter Two

Sunday evening Ron came back just as tired as the day before. In addition to collecting clothing from all over the house (he blushed whenever he came to Mrs. Small's undergarments) and carrying them to the basement for washing, he had also given Chucky, Snowy and Powderpuff baths. He came back to the castle at five, per usual, and took his shower.  
Nearly asleep, he stumbled down to the Great Hall for dinner where he was greeted by his two best friends.  
"Hey Ron!" They called cheerily to him. Smothering a yawn, he replied, "Hi guys. How was your day?"  
Hermione spoke first, "I spent it in the library doing homework. Checked out some new books, too."  
He nodded as he dug into his food with as much energy as he could spare. Harry answered next, "I hung out with your brothers. They came back to help me with something. If the Slytherins ask, I know nothing." He smirked as Hermione tutted disapprovingly. When Ron didn't laugh, Hermione looked concernedly at him, "Ron, what's wrong? All this year you've been exhausted."  
He finished eating before answereing, "I'm just really busy, that's all." She snorted, "Ron, you've taken on more than me- a job, being a prefect, school. You're going to collapse."  
"I'm fine," he snapped, "Harry, have you gotten your work done?" "Nah. I'm doing it tonight. Going to join me?"  
"Yeah. I haven't gotten anything done."   
The three left the Hall and returned to the Gryffendor common room, where the boys pulled out their books and dove into their homework. Hermione sat by the fire, reading.  
This year she was attracting her fair share of admiring glances, though she never noticed. Her hair had relaxed slightly, sending it cascading down her back in gentle curls. This made all her features seems softer, somehow. Ron paused in the middle of his essay to admire her.   
Hermione was innocently unaware of her own beauty. She still saw herself as the bushy-haired prude she had always been.  
"Ron?" He looked up at Harry, who had spoken to him, "You completely spaced." He tapped the parchment, "You've got to patrol in a couple hours, remember?"  
"Right," he sighed. With one last glance to the girl who had been haunting his tired dreams, he turned back to his homework.  
  
Hermione glance up from 'Essence of Beauty'. Ron and Harry were putting their heads together over the Herbology essay. She had finished it, of course, but they didn't want her butting in and trying to help. Instead, she watched Ron.  
Over the summer, his job had filled him out nicely. He was stronger, more tan, and more confident, though still timid with people. His confidence was in his ability to take care of himself. He still knew himself as a poor loser, but now he believed to have some worth, at least. He carried himself more securely, and Malfoy tended to leave him alone now. She wondered if he would notice the changes in himself.  
  
At nine, Ron had gotten everything but Astronomy finished. Hermione came up to the tower to find him. He didn't even notice she was there, the star map had him enthralled.  
"Hem," she cleared her throat. He jumped.  
"Oh, 'Mione. I didn't even hear you come up."  
She smiled, "I noticed. Anyway, it's time to patrol." The moonlight was doing odd things to her stomach, and she was very aware of how beautiful it was, and how very, very alone they were.  
As he collected his pack, Ron kept one eye on her. The stars lent a delicate glow to her, making her skin and hair shine ethereally.  
"Ron?" he blinked, and realized that he'd been staring at her. Blushing, he held the door open and ushered her through. "How about we start on the top floor and work down?"  
She stepped through, pausing just in front of him. "Sounds like a plan." Her breath catching at how close they were, she ducked through. Ron followed, his breath caught in his throat as well.


	3. Chapter Three

The next day, Monday, Ron was awoken by Harry shaking his shoulder. As he groggily opened his eyes, Harry grinned. “Come on, mate! You’ll miss breakfast!”  
The mention of food did much to revive him, and he crawled out of bed. Once he was dressed and ready, they went down to the Great Hall where they were greeted by Hermione waving absently over her copy of Pride and Prejudice. “Morning, ‘Mione.” They yawned before digging into the waiting food.  
“Ron, you _did_ practice for the Transfiguration test today, right?” Hermione inquired. “I know Harry did, I didn’t let up until he got it perfect.”  
Harry snorted, “Took bloody forever, too. ‘Oh, the pattern isn’t quite right, Harry.” He imitated her voice, “Harry, you missed a whisker.’ Honestly.’  
As the spoke, Ron sank lower and lower into his seat. He _had_ forgotten! And there was no time to practice- that was the bell to go to class. He paled under his tan.  
  
“Mr. Weasley, please see me after class.” Professor McGonagall said over the giggles that infested her classroom. Ron’s cat had turned into the proper ottoman- sort of. It was a proper ottoman that happened to have a living cat’s head attached on one end, and a tail poking out the other. Its tail was thrashing madly, and the head was spitting at him.  
Harry, as Hermione had said, did miss a whisker. Hermione herself performed the spell perfectly; McGonagall couldn’t find anything wrong and awarded her a rare smile. The rest of the class had varying degrees of success, though none came close to either Ron’s dismal failure, or Hermione’s glowing success.  
“Good luck, mate.” Harry whispered as everyone filed out to head to their next class. Ron gulped, and shuffled up to the front desk. McGonagall glanced up at him, a tiny frown creasing her forehead.   
“Mr. Weasley, your teachers are very concerned. Your grades started out admirably well this year, but have been slipping rather drastically of late. We have also seen hints of exhaustion, which is not something we want out students doing to themselves. Is all well with you?” She watched him critically.  
“Yeah,” he replied, “er, yes, Professor. I’m fine. Thank you for worrying, though.” She dismissed him, and he scurried off to Potions.  
  
Before dinner that night, Dumbledore stood and clapped his hands, “Students, students.” The hall quieted instantly. “Thank you. I have one exciting announcement before we may tuck into this marvelous feast. Princess Taylor is coming to visit next month. For those of you who are unaware, she is our gracious Queen’s youngest daughter. She attends Beauxbaton in France, but has decided to come visit her cousin, whom she has not seen in quite some time. We are going to host a ball in her honor on December the 18th, which is the Saturday before you all leave for break.” Excited murmurs broke out, “I am afraid, however, that only third years and above. You may invite younger students if you wish, but no pressuring.” He sat down amid general applause. The younger students appeared disappointed, but looked at their seniors hopefully.  
“I wonder who her cousin is….” Harry mused. Ron shrugged, “Dunno,” he replied, “but it’s disconcerting, knowing there’s nobility among us.”  
“Mm” Hermione was wrapped in her book, not really paying attention to their conversation.  
“Mione, do you know who the Lord or Lady is?” Harry asked her.  
“Huh? Oh, no. Can’t say I do.” She continued in her novel, and the guys turned to talking of Quidditch and the Chudley Cannons.  
“Face it, Ron! They’ll never win again!” They argued up the steps to the Tower.


	4. Chapter Four

Dear Mom,  
Here is my pay for the two weeks. I hope you don’t mind, but I’ve kept out some money to pay for dress robes. I promise I’ll make it up to you next pay day.  
We’re having a ball in three weeks for Princess Taylor. Apparently she has a cousin here. Isn’t it odd that we never knew?  
Yes, I know my grades have been slipping. Don’t worry, though, I’ve managed to bring them up again.   
Well, I have to go. It’s almost curfew.  
  
Bye,  
Ron  
  
  
Dear Ronnie,  
Sweetie, it’s fine that you kept the money. You could keep it all if you felt like it- it is yours.  
Maybe your noble didn’t want it knows that they’re rich. Perhaps they just wanted to be normal.  
Make sure you keep those grades up- it’s more important that you get a good education than it is to keep your job.  
  
Much love,  
Mom  
  
Ron folded his mom’s letter and carefully tucked it in the drawer. It was the Saturday of the Hogsmeade trip, and was using his evening to buy new dress robes with Harry. Hermione had stayed at Hogwarts, saying she had some letters to write.  
As they walked through Hogsmeade, Ron reflected how nice it was to have money in his pocket for once.  
The robe maker’s shop was relatively empty- everyone had already been in earlier that day. Madame Malkin’s sister-in-law, Madame Malkin, was busily directing a dozen charmed needles in the sewing of different robes.  
“Oh, hello boys!” she smiled tiredly, “Robes for the dance, I assume.” Ron smiled back, “Just for me. Harry already has his.” “Alright. My, you’re a big lad. How about a simple black? What’s your size?” She bustled around, taking measurements.  
“I…uh…” He didn’t have to say anything, which was good, because he was at a loss for words.  
“That’ll be five galleons, six sickles, and you pay when I deliver. That’ll be next Wednesday, alright? Okay, buh-bye!” She chirped as they backed slowly out of her shop.  
“What a nutter,” Harry said. “Yeah, like a bird on caffeine. Still, at least it was fast. Mr. Small wants to see me in an hour. I need to ask him for that Saturday off, anyway. Where should we go?”  
“Honeydukes.” Harry said decisively, and they proceeded in that direction.  
At seven, Ron walked back to the Smalls’ mansion where he was greeted by both adults and a tiny bundle.  
“”Ronald, as you know, Mary had a child Monday. Meet Sarah Small.” The bundle was passed forcefully to him, and a tiny, intelligent face peered up at him. ‘No, I didn’t know that’ he thought, automatically receiving the blanket. “Now, Mary wants to go back to work, Therefore we need you to work Friday afternoons, evenings, Saturday and Sunday until 10 pm. Also Wednesdays after school. This will only be temporary until we find a good house elf, but will extend for at least two months.  
“But sir,” Ron stammered, still holding the baby, “I don’t know anything about infants, and I need the Saturday two weeks from now off. See, there’s this dance….”  
“Now, Ronald. The agreement was you could do whatever we needed, and that your schedule was always open, outside of school. You want this job, do you not?”  
Defeated, Ron handed back the child, "Yes sir." and flooed away


	5. Chapter Five

Wednesday afternoon, Ron showed up ten minutes early. Mary Small was clearly already waiting in the hall. As soon as he appeared, she stood.  
“Sarah’s asleep upstairs. We’ll be back at ten tonight. Don’t forget to change all the bed sheets!” With that, she dashed out.  
Ron stared blankly after her for a moment until the sound of tiny wails reached him. He ran up the stairs until he reached the nursery.   
“There, there.” He said, picking the infant up tenderly. “Shh…..it’s okay….” He rocked her until she quieted, “See? All better.” The smell wafting up from her diaper indicated the desperate need it had of changing, so he took her to the changing table. As he took care of her, he looked around her room. It was a mix of designer Muggle things and designer magic baby things. Her parents had spent a fortune on it.  
Once she was taken care of, he set her in a baby backpack that lay gathering dust in the corner. They went around the house, Ron singing to his new charge and changing sheets. Even with seven bedrooms, it didn’t take too long, so he went around and dusted everything. This, with all his homework, only took until eight that night.   
“So….” He cradled Sarah and gave her a dinner bottle. “I don’t really know what to do with you. I mean, I was too young to help with Ginny when she was a baby. You’re my first.”  
She finished her bottle, so he put it in the dishwasher and burped her. “I guess I should be mad at you. I mean, it’s your fault my life just got more complicated.”  
Her curious eyes focused on his face for a fraction of a second as he rocked her on the couch. “There’s this girl, see? She’s my best friend, but I really like her. I have for years, honestly. She’s the most beautiful, kind, intelligent person I know. If it wasn’t for her, I’d have failed so many classes.”  
He fell silent for a moment, but Sarah began to fuss, so he started talking again as he carried her upstairs. “Hermione has this gorgeous brown hair that drifts down her back in curls. There’s this one stray that keeps falling in her eyes.” He chuckled, “She gets impatient and tries to blow it out of the way. It’s really cute, how she crosses her eyes to glare at it.  
“She’d never like me. She’s so amazing, and I’m just a poor ugly loser who happens to be a million feet tall.”  
He tucked Sarah back into her cradle and drew her blanket close around her. She was already asleep, her tiny hand balled up over the sheets. He stepped back, then impulsively came back and kissed her forehead, “Good night, Sarah.”  
Her hand came up for just a moment, and rested on his cheek as she burbled in her sleep. He smiled, and left her to her rest.  
  
As he worked on an Astronomy project and waited for the Smalls to get home, Ron reflected on his new charge. She was a good kid, as far as he could tell, and already had some muscle control. She didn’t even cry as much as normal babies. Her parents were negligent fools for not spending time with her.  
  
Back at the castle, Hermione was telling her diary about her conversation with Ron.  
“…and it got me thinking. Do I really not want children, or will that change in the future?  
If we can’t agree on this, could we agree on other important issues? It’s something to think on.”  
~Hermione 


	6. Chapter Six

Friday, the day before the ball, Ron again asked for the day off, and again was denied.  
“I’m sorry, Ronald, but we really need you to work tomorrow. It’s only temporary, remember.” With that, Mr. Small disapparated to work, leaving Ron with a very smelly Sarah.  
He drew a bath for her in the baby tub, carefully checking the temperature and adding bubbles. When she slipped into water, she smiled an adorable baby smile, and chuckled. The bubbles fascinated her, and she splashed madly at them.  
Ron chuckled, “Careful little one. You’ll make a mess.” He washed off whatever the nasty gunk she had coated herself with was, and dried her off. Once she was clean and snug in her designer baby suit, he cleaned up the kitchen, took the Crups for a walk, and then settled down to read to Sarah until bedtime.  
The Smalls came home slightly early, just after Ron gave their daughter the usual bedtime kiss.   
  
“Ronald, I know it is last minute, but we need you to spend the night tomorrow. Mary” here Mr. Small smiled adoringly at his wife and kissed her cheek, “has scheduled a surprise getaway for us, and we obviously cannot take an infant with us. We will, of course, pay you extra.”  
“But…” the Smalls retired, leaving Ron to floo back to Hogwarts. He sighed as he stepped into the Gryffendor common room. “At least before I could have gone for a little after they got home. Now it’s hopeless. And what am I going to do with those dress robes?”  
His stomach growled, alerting him to just how little he’d eaten that day. Perhaps a quick visit to the kitchen would help…..  
  
Winky greeted him cheerily at the door. The little elf had grown happier over the summer, and was now fairly content with her new place.  
“Hi Weezy!” she squealed, carrying over a tray of food. Noticing his woebegone expression, she asked, “What’s wrong, Weezy?”  
“Nothing.” He muttered through a potato. Winky sat at his feet, looking up at him.  
“Weezy, it’s not good to keep bad feelings in. Winky did that, remember? Winky was miserable until she told. Now Weezy tell Winky what’s wrong so Winky can help.”  
She sat patiently though his whole story, and smoothed her skirt before replying. “Weezy likes Hermy?” he nodded, “Winky thinks Hermy likes Weezy, too.”  
Ron laughed at that, but let her continue.  
“Also, baby needs Weezy. Baby’s parents are bad. There are other dances.”  
“Well, yeah, but I bought new dress robes. And I was hoping to ask Hermy- Hermione. Just as friends, of course.”  
Refilling his cup, Winky answered, “Winky not know what to say. But she knows it will all work out for Weezy.”  
She patted his knee comfortingly before clearing away his dishes. “Weezy want anything else?”  
He stood. “No, Winky. Thanks, though, for listening.”  
“You’re welcome, Weezy. Winky glad to help.”  
She curtsied as he left, stepping out of the portrait. He mused on their conversation all the way back to the common room where he ran into Hermione.


	7. Chapter Seven

“Hey Ron.” She looked up from her book by the fire.  
“Uh, hey, Hermione.” She uncurled from the chair and turned around to face him fully. “How was your day?”  
He sat on the couch next to her chair. “Pretty good, tiring. Sarah managed to cover herself in some nasty gunk, so I ended up giving her a bath.” He smiled a little at the memory, “She’s so bright for a three week old.”  
Hermione watched the soft expressions flicker across his face. “You talk about her like she’s your own kid.” He flushed, “Oh, no. She’s just so cute.”  
She watched him for a moment before he asked, “Where’s Harry?” She blinked, “Oh, he’s asking Cho to the ball.. He’ll be back soon.” She took a deep breath, “Ron?” “Yeah?” “Would you like to go to the ball with me?”  
His heart caught in his throat- he would love nothing more. If only……but no. He had a job. And Sarah needed him.  
  
Hermione held her breath. She hoped he would say yes…  
“Hermione….I can’t. I’m sorry. Id’ really like to, but the Smalls need me to stay the night….” He averted his eyes to the fire.  
“Oh…..” she let out her breath, disappointed. “I….okay. I understand. The baby needs you.” She stood to leave, tucking her book back into her bag.  
“Hermione, wait!” Ron stood up.  
“Good night, Ron” she responded, going up the steps.  
  
He sat back down, feeling as though he had failed some important test.  
For a moment, his thoughts wandered back to his discussion with Winky, but discarded it. She had meant ‘as friends’, of course. A girl as fabulous as her couldn’t possibly want _him_, could she?  
  
Up in her dorm room, Hermione cried quietly into her pillow. Taylor was coming tomorrow, and Hermione had hoped to introduce Ron to her. Preferably as the one thing her perfect cousin didn’t have- her boyfriend. But his job would keep him busy. Of course.   
As soon as her tears slowed, they started again. It had taken so much to work up the courage to ask him to the dance, and he couldn’t go.   
She cried herself to sleep.  
  
Ron’s commune with the fire was interrupted by the portrait swinging open and Harry climbing through in a blissful daze.  
“Hey, Harry. How’d it go?” Ron motioned to the chair Hermione had vacated. Harry took the seat, still grinning.  
“She said yes, mate. She said yes!” Ron smiled, “No surprise there.”  
“Yeah, but then we snuck into the Room of Requirement and…..wow……..” Harry’s eyes glazed over again.  
“I’m glad for you, mate.” Harry snapped out of it, “Oh, hey, ‘Mione was looking for you earlier.” “She found me.” Ron answered morosely. Harry looked at him interestedly, “What did she want?”  
Ron looked back into the fire, “She asked if I wanted to go to the ball tomorrow. Just as friends, of course.” He sighed, “But I can’t. Work...”  
“Ron, just skip out! She is completely interested in you, and I know you like her. It’d be cool to see you two together.”  
Ron stared at him, then laughed, “Are you serious?”  
“Ron, it’s obvious. Even Cho mentioned it. Anyway, I’m going to bed.” Harry practically floated up to the room, leaving Ron to continue staring into the fire.


	8. Chapter Eight

Saturday morning, Ron had a tough time getting out of bed. For some reason, his head was throbbing, and movement made it worse.   
By the time he was ready to floo out, it was 8:10. He was ten minutes late.  
As he stumbled out of the fireplace, Ron was already stammering apologies. “I’m so sorry! I know I’m late- it’ll never happen agai….” It took him a moment to realize that no one was listening. A note hung in the air before him.  
  
Ronald,  
We had to leave earlier than expected to catch out train, and could not wait. Sarah is upstairs, still asleep. We will see you tomorrow.  
  
Harold Small  
  
Ron took the stairs three at a time to check on Sarah, seething. How could they leave a kid who couldn’t even sit up on her own alone like that?  
She was still safe asleep, and he breathed a sigh of relief. Her little eyes fluttered open and as she focused on his face, she smiled. He grinned in return and picked her up.  
He carried her downstairs for breakfast, bouncing her lightly.  
“Good morning, sweetie. It’s just you and me this weekend!”  
She blinked innocently at him over the bottle, not understanding anything he was saying. Something in her glance reminded him of Hermione. Maybe it was the lone brunette curl falling gently over her forehead.  
  
“This really is your fault, you know,” he said quietly. “I could have escorted the most wonderful girl in the world to the ball, and maybe even have met royalty.”  
He set the empty bottle in the sink and slid Sarah into her brand name bouncy chair.  
“But then you were born, and my hours increased. I’ve had to spend even less time with her. I didn’t mind, though, because you needed me. My grades started slipping again, because babies need constant care. Hermione helped me with that. And I thought she was just being a good friend, like she believes she should be.”  
Sarah kicked her legs and smiled when it made her chair move.  
“Last night, she asked me to the dance. Winky said she thought Hermione liked me. Hell, Harry said the same thing, and he was Cho- high!”  
Ron hit the table, “Damn it! If I wasn’t poor, if you’d never been born, this wouldn’t be a problem! But no, my life has to be worthless, and you and those stupid Crups need all my attention!”  
Sarah, startled at all the loud noise, started crying.  
Horrified, Ron scooped her up, “Shh…..no, no. I’m sorry little one. I didn’t mean it, really. Shhhh….”   
She wouldn’t stop howling, even though Ron tried everything he could think of. The Crups even joined in, barking and whining around his feet.  
“Stupid animals” he put them out in the back yard where they began to happily romp before he turned back to Sarah.  
She had stopped wailing, but tiny tears still trailed down her cheeks as she hiccoughed miserably. “There, there. I’m sorry.” The tears slowed, and eventually stopped. He gave her some water for the hiccoughs, and those left her, too. “See? It’s all better now.”  
He rocked her some more, gently patting her back, “There, feel better?”  
The rest of the morning was spent playing baby games until she giggled cheerfully, then napping. At three, he woke her up and took her back downstairs so he could keep an eye on her as he did more homework. Her cuteness, however, distracted him, and by five they were playing again.  
A pop behind him caused him to jump and whirl around, drawing his wand. Sarah let out a startled whimper.  
“Weezy must go get ready for ball!” a little voice said. Ron responded incredulously, “Winky?”


	9. Chapter Nine

“Yes, Weezy! Winky here to help Weezy!” she floated up and took Sarah fromo him.  
“Winky, I can’t just leave! I have to take care of her!” he motioned to Sarah. The elf smiled at him.  
“Silly Weezy. That’s why Winky is here. Winky likes babies; Winky will take good care of her.”  
Ron stared at Winky, who began chucking Sarah under the chin. She looke back up at him.  
“Weezy should go get ready. Hermy cried all last night because Weezy couldn’t go to dance. Winky felt bad and wanted to help. Now Weezy go! Make Hermy happy.” Winky shoved him towards the fireplace.  
Ron pulled out of his surprised daze, and grinned. He stepped into the fireplace, pulled out a handful of floo powder, and shouted “Gryffendor common room, Hogwarts.”  
As he spun away, he called “Thanks, Winky!” and received a cheerful wave in return.  
  
He stumbled out of the common room fireplace and dashed halfway up the stairs to the girls’ dorm rooms before they turned into a slide and sent him sailing back down. The jolt set him facing the clock, and his eyes rested on the hands- it was 5:15. More than enough time to get ready.  
“Harry!” he burst into the dormitory.  
“Shuu-p rn” the still-sleeping boys growled. How they could sleep an entire day was beyond him, and he ignored them to fling open Harry’s bed curtains.  
“Harry!” he said. Harry jumped up guiltily, “I was not reading a girly book! Was not!” Ron glanced at him, puzzled for a moment before continuing as his friend scrabbled under his pillow. “Harry! Guess what!”  
“Murr?”  
“Harry- Winky’s taking care of Sarah. I can go to the ball!”  
Harry sat up, red faced and grinning, “That’s awesome.” He paused a moment and snickered. Ron was puzzled, “What?”  
“Nothing. This is just a lot like a fairy tale I read as a kid. Cinderella. Maybe I’ll call you Cinderon.”  
“Shut up.” Ron hit Harry’s shoulder, “Come on- let get dinner before they close it for the ball.”  
  
They rapidly left and went down to eat. The sight and smell of food further excited Ron, and he made a mental note to thank Winky with a gift of something. He and Harry were quickly wrapped up in talk about the ball.  
“I hear the princess is hot!”  
“Yeah, I wonder who her cousin is. Bet she’s sexy, too.”  
“Maybe it’s your date.”  
“Maybe it’s your sister.”  
Everyone involved snickered.  
Through a thick ham and cheese sandwhich, Harry asked, “Hey, I never asked. Are you staying over break?”  
“Yeah. So many people are coming home for Christmas, I figured I’d stay here to take some pressure off Mom.”  
Harry smiled, “Great. We’ll be stuck here together. Cho, Neville, and ‘Mione are staying, too. Speaking of which, are you going to take her to the ball now?”  
Hermione! He should go find her and ask her the ball, now that he could go.  
Assuming someone else hadn’t already asked.  
  
He checked the Marauder’s Map, but there was no sign of Hermione. “That’s odd. Maybe she’s got a special pass for Hogsmeade. I’ll talk with her when she gets back. Yeah…”  
Ron nervously put off confronting his fears, and concentrated on eating a proper dinner.


	10. Chapter Ten

When he actually had to get ready for the dance, there was still no sign of Hermione. She had shown up once in the girls’ dormitory, but he couldn’t reach her there.  
At 6:45, Harry had to leave to escort Cho to the ball, leaving Ron on his own.  
He nervously got dressed and combed his hair, then went down to the Great Hall at seven. The tables had disappeared, and the walls had been charmed to be thousands of mirror shards, providing a distorted, magical essence to the hundreds of candles floating in the air.  
Elegant red velvet loveseats were set in the corners around low coffee tables. House elves flitted here and there in old fashioned maid and butler costumes,  
‘Methinks the princess is a bit of a romantic,” Ron muttered. “Just like Hermione.” He cast about for her, but didn’t see her.  
The band quieted and the talking stopped as Dumbledore stepped up to the stage. “Welcome, students, to the winter ball.” After the applause died down, he continued, “Princess Taylor asked to say a few words before the festivities commence, so here she is.”  
The clapping and cheering started again in full force as an elegant brunette stepped up to the stage. She held up a hand for quiet, and instantly got it.  
“Thank you, everyone, for being so kind. Especially you, Dumbledore, for organizing this ball just to my taste.” She chuckled, “I’m a bit of a romantic. Mostly, though, I’d like to thank my cousin for so generously letting me visit her. I’ve always envied her ability to blend in, so I’m going to embarrass her now. Hermione, come up and say hi.”  
Ron stared- Hermione? Sure enough, she was climbing the steps up to where her cousin stood.  
She was wearing a light blue dress with a daringly open back. Her hair was half up, and she was bereft of make up, which made her stand out more than ever. As she walked up the steps, he noticed her shoes seemed to be made of glass.  
Taylor embraced her cousin, then turned back to the gaping student populace. ‘Now they notice her beauty.’ Ron thought.  
“Alright, let the festivities begin!” Taylor called, and the band started up again as she walked off stage with a red-faced Hermione.  
For a good two hours after that, Ron wasn’t able to get near her. The mob of students wouldn’t budge long enough.  
Eventually, though, it dissipated and she emerged, muttering.  
“And they wonder why I never told. Taylor is going to pay for that. Oof!”   
She ran directly into his chest. Without looking up, she muttered, “Oh, I’m so sorry…..Ron?”  
He smiled down at her, “Hey, Hermione. Winky said she’d look after Sarah, so I made it after all.”  
She stared at him for a moment before throwing her arms around him, “I’m so glad.”  
He tensed up before returning the embrace. “Hermione?” “Mm?” “I…” he took a deep breath, “I’ve liked you for a really long time now, and it feels weird to hide it.” She looked up at him, “Really?” “Yeah. I mean, I understand if you don’t feel the same.”  
Her silence made him nervous until she stood on tiptoe and pressed her lips to his.  
The students around them cheered and whistled. In the back of his mind, Ron knew there would be much teasing about it later. And he’d probably be fired for leaving Sarah.  
Strangely enough, he didn’t care.  
  
fin


End file.
